*******Chapter 1 (Alaina)******* We sat there not doing anything the entire class.

The substitute had no idea what they were doing, and almost half the class was just talking or listening to their ipods. I look over to Matt and I saw him sleeping with his head buried in his arms. Sasha looked over to me and murmured "And we wonder why he doesn't have a girlfriend,". Matt isn't the most social guy we know, in fact Sasha and I are the only friends he's had since 4th grade. "I can hear you, you know?" Matt grouchily picked his head up. Sasha chuckled and nudged my arm. But I was thinking, Matt and I are closer than Sasha is with him. He tells me how bad it feels to know that no one likes him. I told him that I did in 4th grade (which is the only reason we started talking to him anyway) but it didn't make a difference. I wanted to help him, I mean, he wasn't the worst looking guy I know. He could probably get a girlfriend if he bulked up a little more and went out to parties. "All I'm saying is your a 16 year old guy! Your hormones must be raging!" Sasha laughed. She was joking around like she always does, but to him, this was all true. He just wanted a girl, that's all. "Oh, my fault, you do have a girlfriend! Her name is Handy, right?" She started laughing with full emotion. Matt stuck his head back in his arms, probably trying to make himself fall asleep again. Sasha looked over at me, "Well, I was kidding around!". I shook my head and smiled. But then something hit me! As I said before, Matt isn't that bad looking of a guy! He just needed a little more push. "Sasha, are you going to Jared's tonight?" She nodded in response, "Well, Matt, why don't you come along?" Sasha nudged my arm again, and looked at me bug eyed. "Why should I?" He picked his head up again, but this time only resting his chin on his arms. I looked at him and mouthed the words "please". He looked over at Sasha as she rolled her eyes. "I don't know, Alaina" he said trying to be nice. "Okay than! We'll pick you up at 9!" I laughed and turned around to grab my books as the bell rang. I saw him laughing and throwing his arms out in confusion. Sasha look mad at me, you see, Sasha isn't so far down as Matt on a social ladder. She is always trying to climb higher, and going to parties was her way for climbing. "Sorry, Sasha. But if you're going to keep picking on him, give him a chance to get out there!" She walked out of the room and met up with some other kids in her next class. I walked out of the room with Matt, he looked down at me. "Sasha will hate you if you bring me," He smirked. I smiled and continued out. ******Chapter 2 (Belle)********* My husband started buckling the children into the van, I turned around in the passenger seat and said "Whose ready for soccer?" in the most excited way possible. It was Ben's first game, and I wasn't feeling so great. He rolled his eyes at me, knowing he wasn't as excited for this either. "Mom, I hate soccer." He said looking at me with a very annoyed face. I'll admit it, it was my idea for him to sign up. And now that I think about it, I barley even gave him a choice. "Well, Sweetie, the season will end eventually," I said to reassure him. Even though he's a 12 year old boy, who only wants girls

and computer games, I thought he should do a little more than that. But why make him unhappy. He wasn't athletic, he didn't want to be in the game, and all he'd do is sit on the bench. "Ma, please? I really don't want to do this!" He pleaded. Dorin, his little brother laughed at him. Strapped into his car seat, Dorin started throwing toys around. I looked over to my husband, I scrunched my mouth in thought. "If you don't go to this game Ben, you're off the team." my husband said, showing him the consequences. But I could tell that Ben didn't care a bit. In fact this was better for him. Ben shook his head and unbuckled himself to get out of the car. I looked at Dorin and tickled his stomach. Then back at my husband and shrugged. My husband and I unloaded the car and walked inside. As we entered my tiny home, Ben was already watching TV. "Nope, Ben if you're quiting soccer, you won't be sitting on the couch all day. Go get out of your uniform and play with Dorin outside or something," I instructed him. He got up slowly off the couch and groaned as he made his way to his room. I walked into the kitchen and placed Dorin in his high chair. "Are you hungry?" I asked playfully into his tiny head. I open the fridge and grabbed him some of his toddler food. It's a hard stage for a 3 year old. Not yet a kid, but not a baby. I let him out of his chair and watched him run into the living room, and plop his butt into the couch. "They are all the same," I said to my self as I started to prepare dinner. My husband came down the hall looking at me confused. "Why are you making food?" he said as he sat down at the dining. I looked at him with eyebrows raised, "It doesn't look like anyone else will make it," I said. "We'll go out for dinner!" he said chuckling. He got up and put his hands on my waist. I laughed at him as he kissed my cheek. *******Chapter 3 (Alaina) ********** I walked into my house and did a wardrobe change. My mom wasn't home, as usual. I went into my room and laid out my new outfit. A pair of ripped jeans a laced shirt and some converse. I didn't get too dressed up for parties, maybe a necklace to spice it up a bit. I reapplied my make up, and grabbed my cell phone. As I walked to my car, I called Matt. "Be ready, I'll be there in fifteen," I said and got into my car. I was hoping that he wasn't dressed as he was for school. I really wanted him to make a splash today. Plus I had a plan, I just had to tell him about it. I drove down his road, it was so...perfect. The houses all perfectly aligned, the yards all neat and tidy. The families here had it made. I pulled into Matt's driveway, I wasn't sure to honk or go knock. His family loves me, but I didn't want them to think this was a date or anything. I picked up my cell phone ready to dial when I heard his front door open. He came out and trotted down his walk to my car. I was impressed, he was wearing a button up shirt and some denim jeans. He opened the passenger door, letting me get a better look, he looked good! "Hey, thanks for picking me up," He said as he sat down. "No problem, we just have to go get Sasha. Matt, I have an idea! You know how you wanted to get a girlfriend and get out there more?" I asked him trying to make this sound like a sure-fire plan. "No, I remember you and Sasha saying that though. But carry on," He said and laughed. I smiled and I think I even blushed. I don't know why, Matt does this stuff all the time. Making Sasha and I look dumb. But boy, did he look good tonight.

"Well, as I was saying," I stuck out my tongue, making him laugh. "Sasha asked Leo, her math tutor, to verbally abuse one of us. Then you will stand up and push him around a bit. Ya' know, shake him up, becoming a noble hero of the party!" I said sort of clapping for excitement. "Aliana, are you serious? This is the first party I've been to in a very long time, and you want me to become the hero?" He looked sort of bashful. But I saw his eyes sort of twinkle, maybe he was thinking about it. How cool it would make him seem. "I'll think about it," He chuckled. We drove for about a half hour to the other side of town into Sasha's neighborhood. It was a different sort of neighborhood over their. Where she lived, people were rude and snobby. It wasn't the place where you move and make best friends with the neighbor whose in your grade. People tended to themselves. I looked at Matt in sort of worry as we approached a few kids walking down the walk. The kids whispered and laughed to each other as our car drove past. I heard Matt grumble something that sounded like "bitches" I chuckled. We entered Sasha's long driveway, and this time, I honked the horn. I hated leaving my car here, ridiculed by anyone who might be looking out their windows. Once some guys stopped me and started asking me questions about my bra size. It wasn't a comfortable place, awkward at the least. I could feel Matt's eyes on me, maybe he could see the tension. Sasha came prancing out of her house, cell phone to ear. She got up to my car and looked at Matt, she groaned and then said, "I thought you were picking me up first," Sasha could easily be a snob whenever she wanted. But then she realized she isn't as popular as she thinks she is, and we are her best friends. She then corrects herself with a bubbly "Whatever!" We drove a couple minuets over to Jared's house, Leo came up to the passenger window as if he was waiting for us. "We doing this or not?" Leo said abruptly as he looked at Matt. Matt shrugged his shoulders and Leo walked away. I saw him approach his group of friends, exchanging high fives. My group of awkward friends got out of the car and walked up the drive to Jared's house. The loud music was throbbing louder and louder the closer we came to the door. I griped Matt's arm to give him a little push, and to make sure he doesn't try to leave. A bunch of girls turned their heads as we walked in, maybe it was because of how Matt looked, or it could have been I was holding onto him. I let go fast as we continued in. Sasha disappeared into the crowd and Matt and I were left alone. "Want to dance?" someone tapped on my shoulder. I had no idea who he was and I don't know why he talked to me, but he was cute. I looked at Matt and he nodded with a smirk. "Sure" I walked away with him, I could feel myself keep looking back. Matt was like a lost puppy, I felt godawful leaving him. I danced around a bit with this mystery boy. Looking around to find Matt. He wasn't anywhere near me, I couldn't see him at all. "Excuse me for a moment," I said shyly and I walked down a hall, I reached for my phone to text Sasha. I asked if she had seen him anywhere. She didn't respond and I figured she was making tongue with some guy. I looked around a bit for him on my own. I walked upstairs stealthily hoping that mystery boy wouldn't notice me. I tried not to open any bedroom doors, you never know what things could be going on behind them, instead I looked into doors that weren't closed all the way. I hadn't seen him in the 3 bedrooms yet. I knocked on the door that said "Washroom" but a girl just respond, "piss off!". I backed away slowly only to bump into Matt.

"I saw you come upstairs without that guy, so I figured you were looking for me," He said smiling. I shrugged, and sat down on the bench in the upstairs hallway. Matt sat down next to me. "You alright?" I nodded and smiled, "Something feels weird, is it just me?" I asked. I know I sounded crazy. I go to parties like this all the time and I didn't want to worry Matt. "I feel like that too, but maybe it's just because it's one of my first parties. Why do you feel strange?" He asked. I don't know why he cared so much about what I had to say, I never have anything very interesting. "Don't know," I said and shrugged. I smiled, and shook my head "I'm just crazy,". I looked at Matt and he was nodding in agreement. I laughed some more, and looked at him again. This time we met eyes, and we just sat there for a minuet, smiling at each other. He made a crazy face making me laugh louder this time. "How is it going with girls?" I said, trying to break the flirt. He laughed, "Girls? Nothing is happening with girls." He looked at me and sat back further on the bench. I looked at him at a loss, "Why not? I saw a bunch of them looking at you when we came in!" I said, trying to make him feel better. But then I realized this was true, a bunch of girls were looking at Matt as we came in. "I think they were looking at you, why would you be coming to a party with the guy who doesn't come to parties? I mean Aliana, your beautiful! Your prettier than those girls if you don't wear makeup, maybe they were surprised that you came here with me." He said, it was so sweet of him to say that. It made me blush and giggle, I turned into a five year old while he said those things. But I was confused, I didn't think of it as we came here together. I mean in a literal sense, we arrived together. But not in the way most people think. "Matt, we didn't come together. Well, we did. But not as if we were together, together." I said trying to be nice. I didn't want him to think a party was a date. I loved Matt, as my best friend. And although he is cute, and I had a crush on him more than 6 years ago, we didn't go to this party for a date. He smiled, "I know that. Aliana, you do realize you were clinging onto me for the first few minuets. And if you ask me, the way you were holding on to me could have confused those girls." What he said made sense, I hope I didn't ruin his chances to get with the girls here. It would totally ruin our whole plan! Now what if Leo follows through with the plan, and Matt stands up for me. It will look as though we really are here together. Now my mission is to find Leo. "Oh, I see. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." I said bashfully. Then I stood up, "Sorry Matt, I just remembered I was supposed to find someone here tonight! I'll find you later, ay?" I started rushing down the hall to the stairs. I walked around into the kitchen, this is probably the place where Leo is. The drinkers hang around the kitchen, a good place to get drunk then stagger on to the sofas in the living room. I pushed through a bunch of tall guys, the ones I saw Leo with when I arrived. I saw Leo talking to a group of girls on the other side of the kitchen. I didn't like having to butt into a drunk conversation, but I felt that I had to. "Leo, I need to talk to you," I said as I approached him and the girls. They all turned to me, and the girls rolled their eyes. Leo nodded and plodded over to me. As Leo and I walked away from the girls I heard them whisper something about me and hogging all the guys. I ignored their comments and sat Leo down on a cushion near a

lounge room, "Listen, Leo about the plan. Do you remember the plan?" I said, trying to make it as clear as possible. "Oh! right, right!" He said loudly, making some people even turn to us. I grabbed Leo's shoulders trying to make him pay full attention. "Let go of me woman!" He yelled, this time a couple of people started watching us. I knew this was going bad. "I want you to stop being such a bitch! I hate you! Nothing you do is ever right!" I was confused, was he doing the plan or was he mad that I was making him sit down or leave the girls. "Why did you even come here anyway? No one likes you, no-body" His words were cold, the words you might hear from a bitter drunk. I looked around to see that we were becoming a scene. "Did you hear me?" I nodded nervously, "Well then why are you still here?" He yelled louder. I saw people's faces on me, upset. Some girls were even agreeing with him. I didn't know what to do. Sasha came to the front of the crowd, watching. But she didn't interfere, probably thinking this was all the plan. "Get up and get out, Jared only invited you because he wanted Sasha here!" I felt tears welling in my eyes, and I couldn't feel my legs. I couldn't leave, and now I really wanted to. My only thoughts were "Where is Matt?" I started to stand up, and now I saw Sasha's face turn in confusion. I looked around and saw people looking at me, they never said anything, no emotion. They were all just letting him assault me, even mystery boy was just watching me. I started to walk away, when Matt grabbed my arm. "You can stay, Aliana. He needs to leave," He said. I felt my heart pounding, I didn't know what to do. Maybe I should just leave anyway, I didn't want to hear anyway more hatred towards me. "Listen Leo, you're really drunk right now. I don't know what you think you're doing. Verbally abusing her? But why? What did she do to you? You need to leave." He was staying calm, his voice still. Wasn't he nervous? That's the way it seemed when he heard about the plan in the first place. "I don't have to go anywhere. I am actually friends with Jared, and who are you? Little Matt never been to a party before, huh?" He said making the crowd start to laugh. I felt a tear roll down my cheek, I couldn't hide it. There was no way to hold it in, because now I got Matt into this. He will never come to a party again. "Look, Leo maybe you just need to take a rest? Lay down for a bit?" He said, still calm. Barley even aware of the people ridiculing him. He looked at me, smiled. "Want some help?" he asked Leo and then punched him. Square in the face. Leo fell right over, blood dripping out his nose, out like a light. The people watching started cheering. Almost as if on our team! I gasped and looked at Sasha. She was holding her mouth and laughing in disbelief. Matt walked over to me in a rush as Jared came running to Leo's side. Matt grabbed my hand and pulled me outside. A bunch of people were in the yard and on the steps. We went down to my car and he stopped and looking me in the eyes. "You alright?" he asked. I nodded, and smiled "How! What happened to you Mr. Superman?" I teased. He chuckled, and then looked down at his feet. "You were crying," He said looking up at me. "I knew he had taken it too far, so I..." I cut him off and kissed him. I don't know why, I didn't feel this way about him. But he had truly been my hero tonight. And the kiss was a thank you. I had dreamt of kissing him once when I was younger. And I never thought I would actually kiss him when I didn't like him. I closed my eyes and put my arms around his neck, and put his hands on my waist. We finally released from our kiss looking over to Sasha watching us. She was once again gasping and laughing. She quickly

walked back inside, leaving me and Matt laughing. "Thank you, but I didn't want people to think you were with a girl. That's the reason I went to Leo in the first place, to tell him the plan was off," I admitted. I looked down at my feet, hands in my pocket. "Aliana, I wasn't following a plan. I heard him yelling, I knew someone, either you or Sasha, were in trouble. I knew that the plan wouldn't go well, Leo drinks as much as he can whenever he can. And when I saw it was you, something went off. I saw you get up to leave, and I knew this wasn't the plan. I had to." I wanted to kiss him again, right then and there. But I didn't I smiled and looked down again. I heard him laugh. "I know, it sounds stupid. But Aliana, I wanted this night to go like this. I didn't want to be a hero to all those other girls, I wanted to be the hero to you," He smiled and picked my chin up to look at him again. He took my chin up to his face and kissed me, longer and more sincere this time. "But please, don't ever make me do it again?" He smiled. I looked across the street as a family exited their van. A mother and father and two boys. They were laughing and looking over at Matt and I. I heard the mom say "Ben, is that going to be you in a few years" teasing and smiling. They entered the house and the porch lights went off. I looked back at Matt, he was watching them too. Then something crazy happened. The porch lights came back on. We looked over to Jared's house in complete disbelief. *********Chapter 4 (Alaina)******** "Matt! We have to get Sasha!" I started to go up the driveway towards the flames, but Matt grabbed my hand to stop me. "No, Aliana, I will go. I'll try to find her, get the car up the hill a bit away from the flames! Go!" He started running up the driveway, people were running out of the house, drunk kids stumbled and fall around the lawn. It was the scariest moment of my life, I looked up to the sky, it wasn't the dark moonlight it had just been, it was a bright almost afternoon sky color. I moved the car up the hill, but I couldn't just sit there. I ran down the hill and across the street. I knocked on the family's door as fast as I could. The woman opened the door and screamed, I looked at her and said "Get your family out now! The fire is huge and spreading quickly!" She nodded and ran off to wake her children. I was right, the fire had fully engulfed the whole house the people from the party pulled their cars out, scrambled and chaotic. I saw a girl running out of the house and tripping, she was hurt and taken in by the flames. I held my mouth, tears running down mine, and every one's faces. People were running all over and a person completely full of flames fell down. Screams were echoing as the disaster happened. The fire was dangerously close to the families home, "Come up the hill to my car if you want," I told the mother. She nodded and took the kids to the car and sat the in the back seat. "Ben," she said, "Watch Dorin, I will be right back." She ran back down the hill and started knocking on her neighbors houses, her husband had run into Jared's house to find more people. I hadn't seen him back yet. The strangest part was that I hadn't seen any emergency vehicles yet. I took out my cell phone and started to dial, then I realized that no one wants to call because of the alcohol. But I had to, if no one calls, no one will make it. I waited for almost a half hour, I hadn't seen Matt or Sasha yet. I wiped my tears and ran up to my car. "Hey there! My name is Alaina, are you guys okay?" The younger

one was crying frantically in the older brothers lap. Ben, I think his name is, looked at me tears holding back in his eyes. He looked out the back of my car at the flames. "No, no! Don't look back their. Look right here at me okay, your mommy is coming back. She will come back with my friends okay? But you have to stay right here with your brother," Ben nodded his head. I closed the door and went down the hill a bit, the fire was spreading to other neighbors houses, and I still haven't seen Sasha and Matt. I decided I couldn't go in to help, I needed to be with these kids until their mom comes back. Sasha had come running up the hill and a huge sigh of relief came over me. "Sasha! It's me!" I yelled waving my hands around. She was stumbling up the hill and out of breath. She was alone, still no Matt. I ran halfway to meet her. I grabbed her in my arms and tried to ask her questions like "Are you okay? Where's Matt? How did this start?" but I couldn't get any answers. She looked at me and started sobbing louder now. I searched her visible body for burns, she was fine for the most part. I helped her up the hill to my car. "You can't go into that car crying Sasha, there are kids in their. They don't know where their parents are and we can't scare them." I said. She looked at me, and knelled down. I knelt down next to her. "Why shouldn't they be scared Alaina?" She yelled at me, "I almost died in there! Matt almost died in there!" When she said those words, I knew there was a chance he was still out there. I stood up and looked out over the flames. Knowing I needed to find him, he was my hero and now I can be his. "Listen to me Sasha, I have to go help. You stay here with these kids! I need you to be strong for them, can you do that?" I asked her. She nodded and I ran back down the hill. This time I didn't care. I ran up the driveway, I could see people in the back yard not knowing what to do. I ran to them "You need to get out of this yard! I don't know where the firefighters are, but you can't stay. If they don't get here soon the flames will spread in every direction" I ran into the front and a bunch of them ran into a field of high grass. I had to make them stop, the high grass will catch faster then the short grass where they just were! But Matt was my main concern, I had to find him. I couldn't get too close or I would get killed. I walked around the driveway, watching the fire spread east into other homes. I saw people lying still in the yard, some still on fire. I ran into the yard looking at their charred faces. Then I saw a guy, in a robe laying face down with his arms stretched across another boy. That was the man from across the street, the man whose kids were in my car. I walked up to him, his eyes were glazed over his breathes were getting shorter and shorter. I knelt down and whispered in his ears, "They are safe," then his breath was so short, it just stopped. And he was gone. I kept hearing coughing and choking and people screaming. I know people all over this neighborhood would die from this. Probably 100 of the 150 kids in this party may not make it. This fire was unreal, not like one I'd ever even seen in movies. Then I saw movement from the boy that the man in the robe was holding. I looked down and help them up, it was the saddest looking boy I'd ever seen. Someone I may have gone to school with, he looked at me and started coughing, then falling back down to die. I couldn't help him. I stood up and looked around some more for Matt, then I decided he may have gone to help at other houses, Jared's house was losing any sign of movement. I was right, the tall grass on the west side of his house had caught, and I could hear screams and more coughing from the people in

the grass. I ran down the east side to other houses still in trauma. I was losing faith, and I started yelling for him. I received no answer. For all I know, he could have burned alive in Jared's house. He could have burned trying to save one of Jared's neighbor. Then I see him, carrying out a little girl. She had to be no older the 7, I ran down to him. "Matt!" I screamed. He handed me the little girl and turned to go help again, but I stopped him. "Matt, you can't, I won't let you!" I yelled, we had to yell to hear each other. Screams and fire were filling the air. I looked down at his leg, he was bleeding and burned. "Matt, you're a hero to enough people. Please?" I begged him. He looked at the flames and then back at me and nodded, "Okay," he yelled. I carried the little girl and helped him limp all the way back to my car. I pulled him past Jared house, as it started to fall. the roof fell down into the house. When it hit the floor we hear more screams, from inside. I looked at Matt, and I could tell he wanted to try to save them. But I just kept him going. I yelled for Sasha to come help. She came out of the car, and took the little girl from my arms. "Have you seen their parents?" She asked. I looked at her and nodded, without saying anything, she knew. She ran up to the car and put the car in the back seat along with Ben and the little boy. Then she came back down to help me drag up Matt. Once we got to the car I put Matt in the passenger seat. I closed the door and me and Sasha went to the back doors trying to help the kids. Sasha looked at me and said "We need to go to the police Aliana," I looked at her and wasn't sure. Ben's mom could still be out there. As for the other little girl, I don't know. Sasha looked at Ben, "You have been SO good for Dorin, Ben." she said. Sasha squeezed the children into the back so that she could fit, than I went into the drivers seat. I still don't know why the firefighters, police officers, or ambulances, didn't show. ******Chapter 5 (Belle)******** I haven't seen my kids in hours. Daylight would be approaching any second now. I want them to be safe, because I don't think I will make it. Not at this rate. The flames were huge, the fire enraged, I don't know where my husband is. I am laying on what used to be my lawn, I collapsed here. The fire started out of nowhere, everyone I asked said that the house just lit up. Like a candle. That girl, she came to help me and my family. She saved my boys, because if she hadn't been here, we'd all be dead. I wish that they will forget this night, grow up as if this was a foggy memory. But Ben will most likely remember this forever. I wonder what it will feel like, when Dorin grows elder, to have only known his mother for 3 years. The flames stretched miles and miles from here, some houses are still kindling. Like tiny embers to a fire place. I see some fire still burning as I lay here, watching my neighborhood crumble. Every couple minuets a house will start to fall to pieces. I miss my boys, but I am happy that they aren't with me. I know that they are safe. These last few minuets have been something, of a fairytale. I never knew this neighborhood could glow so bright. The sky so gray, the smoke suffocating the clouds. The stars closed off their twinkle in fright, and the moon, tired of glowing, is starting to lose its shine. But there is no sign of the sun, no sign of hope. Not for many of these people, where are to police officers? Where are the rescue aids? Children not much older than my boy have lost their lives, does anyone know yet? Have their parents reported them missing? Do they notice half of their heart has burned into ashes with the rest of the neighborhood.

As I lay here, in the yard where I once taught my boys to walk, where I kissed my husband when we first moved in, these are the things that go through my head. I know my husband has died, I felt that part of my heart burn away with his life. I know that my boys are okay, because that part of my heart is still beating. But the part I am most concerned about, is the parts of their hearts that will die when I go. How will anyone be able to tell them "It's alright" when they have no home, or parents? I can't answer these questions, only the man in the sky can. And I can ask Him, soon. Shortly, I can see my husband again. The time is coming, I feel my soul leaving. I can't fight for it any more. The time is now, and I bid my goodbyes to my house of ash and to the loving memories of my beautiful boys.....This is my last breath.